Morris Plains -- 02/14/2013 -- Darrell Giordano, owner of The Sports Page, has a huge following in the baseball card/sports memorabilia industry. photo by Karen Fucito/For the Daily Record MOR 0214 Darrell Giordano

The Sports Page in Morris Plains has found a way to not only survive but thrive in an era when brick and mortar baseball card stores seem a thing of the past.

That might be because owner Darrell Giordano, 56, embraced the Internet when he first opened the business in Morristown in 1995 (it moved five years later to its current location on Speedwell Avenue). Six months after Ebay launched that year, Giordano registered and began selling cards, he said.

"I think I was one of their first customers," Giordano said.

Today, internet sales make up 50 percent of The Sports Page's business, according to Giordano, who began collecting at age 6 and remembers having fun flipping cards with other kids while attending Assumption School in Morristown.

Giordano said he likes the baseball cards of today better than those earlier days. Packs no longer contain the stick of gum and there's always the chance to find a special card containing authentic memorabilia or refractors.

"The problem with card collecting was cards got very expensive which hurt the sport.," he said. "It's actually more interesting now because there's different things you can get out of the pack. It's not just cards. You can get autographs or memorabilia. Rookies, memorabilia and autographs are what's driving the hobby now."

The Sports Page holds a sports/news/trivia show on Tuesdays, followed by a live internet and in-store auction. Box Breaks Thursdays are also live on the internet and in the store.

"Everything is live on BlogTV and at the store," said Giordano, a contributor to Tuff Stuff magazine. "People can come in or they can watch over the internet. The complaint was, 'How come we can't bid?' I don't think anyone else is doing anything like that."

Autographed jerseys, balls, bats, pictures and cards cover the walls of The Sports Page. Bobbleheads, baseballs, and figurines sit on the display cases and unopened boxes of cards - every sport plus Pokema and Magic cards - are for sale next to boxes of cards with individual packs.

"It's really hard to believe how much money the newer cards go for," he said. "I could have a 1964 Willie Mays card in halfway decent condition that's only worth $100 and he was an all-time great player. And yet we had a lot of $100 RG3 cards picked from packs. He's a rookie. I find that amazing."

The best card ever pulled out of a pack from Giordano's store was a Derrick Rose SB Authentic 101 Logo Patch Autographed Rookie Card, Giordano recalled.

"A young guy about 13 from Morristown picked it. He sold it for around $4,500. It's amazing how they come out of the pack for that money. In packs this year, we got an RG3 Super Refractor worth $2,000."

Giordano, an avid Yankees fan, is also known as "Mr. 95 Cents" because he starts all of his Ebay auctions at 95 cents.

"It didn't matter what it was we were listing, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth. They all started at 95 cents," he said. "People come into the store who see us on the internet and want to know where Mr. 95 Cents is."

Giordano and his father, Frank, known to some as "Pops," sat at a long table sorting cards on a recent visit. As customers of all ages entered the store, both Giordanos immediately greeted them, most by their first name.

"We have everything here. But sports is our main thing. And we make it fun," Darrell Giordano said.

The Sports Page is located at 548 Speedwell Ave. in Morris Plains. Store hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and until 6 p.m. on Monday through Wednesday and Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. For more information, call 973-829-1516, visit www.sportscardshideout.com or www.blogtv/people/thesportspage.

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Glory and her sister, Princess II, are sweet dogs whose owner was no longer financially able to take care of them. They are a bonded pair that must be adopted together. Glory is 4 years old and her sister, Princess II, is 6 years old. These pretty Shih Tzus are ready to go to their forever home. As they have come from a house environment, they already know all the basics such as going outside to do their business and playing with toys. These gals have a lot of life and love in them to give to the family that wants to bring double the joy into their lives. They are up-to-date on their shots, spayed and will be microchipped before adoption. Fill out an application online at www.cominghomerescue.org; call 1-888-405-7221 or email info@cominghomerescue.org to schedule a meet and greet.

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At The Sports Page in Morris Plains, collecting cards is still cool

The Sports Page in Morris Plains has found a way to not only survive but thrive in an era when brick and mortar baseball card stores seem a thing of the past.

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